Barwick girl starts summer business telling people's life stories

News Release
Summer Company

Have you ever met someone whose life story would make an interesting book? Nineteen year old Allison Barron of Barwick, Ontario will spend the summer capturing the life stories of people in this region as part of her Summer Company business. Open to students between the ages of fifteen and twenty nine who are returning to school full time in the fall, the Summer Company program gives those students a chance to learn from people already in the business world. Allison says she’s looking forward to the opportunity. “I thought it would be a really good experience to run my own business,” explains Barron, adding “I was really influenced by a business teacher at my high school, Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program in Stratton.”

Allison’s business, which she calls ‘Captured Memoirs’, has two parts to it. One will be going to the homes of seniors in her area and recording their life stories on CD. The second will be writing a book full of some of those interesting life stories with a ‘war times’ theme. Barron, who graduated from Providence College in Manitoba and will be taking courses through Distance Education and hoping to major in English, says she isn’t quite sure what form her future employment will take, but expects it will involve writing. Says Allison, “I’m really looking forward to getting the writing experience (through her Summer Company business) and I’ve been doing some business training, and that should be good experience as well.” Barron will also meet with a mentor, get the help she needs to get her summer business up and running, and be eligible for up to $3,000 in funding.

Four other students in Northwestern Ontario are taking part in this year’s program. Summer Company is a Province of Ontario program delivered to the Kenora Rainy River District by the Northwest Business Centre. If you’d like to find out more about the Summer Company program, you can check out this website: HYPERLINK “http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/summercompany” www.sbe.gov.on.ca/summercompany